Vijaya Biradar has a thriving sari business, Vasumathi Bhaskar has built-up a multi-food industry from scratch, and Anitha Jain's passion for bikes and cycles has led her to run a successful cycle mart. These three women are among the 2.5 million, who have benefited from being part of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka (AWAKE) that has provided thousands of first-generation women entrepreneurs the inspiration and technical support to start their own ventures - from small-scale papad-making to high-tech biotechnology.

* Vijaya Biradar has reared goats and chickens in her backyard, but today she runs her own sari business. She feels a woman "needs only common sense and determination and training" to set up a small-scale business.